On Wednesday 6th July the International Olympic Committee met in Singapore to
decide which city would host the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012. London,
Paris, Madrid, New York and Moscow were the five competing cities. The last time
that London was the Olympic city was in 1948. Paris was the favourite to win.
People gathered in Trafalgar Square to await the decision ...

The presenters: Margherita Taylor and
Katy Hill from radio station Capital FM

Thousands of people
gather in Trafalgar Square

Top British athletes talk on stage: Kelly Holmes
(double gold medal winner at the 2004 Games)

... and Steve Cram
(an Olympic silver medallist)

Jacques Rogge, the president of the IOC,
opens the envelope ...

... and announces that the winning city for the
Games of the 30th Olympiad is ...

.... London !!!

The athletes rejoice on the stage

The crowd
celebrates

... and the Red Arrows
make a flypast above

Rachel Stevens sings, wearing
bangles in the Olympic colours

Heather Small sings "Proud", the
official song for the British bid

Mel C (a former Spice Girl known as
"Sporty Spice") ...

... makes the victory salute
to the crowd

Tony Blair congratulates
everyone who helped

Thank you for bringing
the Games here !!!

A few weeks later, on 1st September 2005, there is another event in Trafalgar
Square to celebrate the start of the preparations for the Games. This was attended
by key members of the London 2012 Olympic Bid team, including Sebastian Coe (a
former Olympic gold medallist and MP), Tessa Jowell (Secretary of State for Culture,
Media and Sport) and Ken Livingstone (Mayor of London).

Sebastian Coe
(leader of the bid team)

Tessa Jowell
(Culture Secretary)

... and Ken Livingstone
(Mayor of London)

There is an aerial display ...

... from the top of Nelson's Column

... and Heather Small
sings "Proud" once more

The Beijing Olympics finished on Sunday 24 August 2008. As part of the closing
ceremony there was an 8-minute presentation representing the London 2012 Games.
This was followed by a Olympic Handover Celebrations in London on The Mall, outside
Buckingham Palace.